Grove Playhouse Negotiating With State Over Theater's Future

January 12, 2002|Jack Zink

Responding to eviction threats by Florida's Department of State, the Coconut Grove Playhouse Thursday agreed on a settlement counter-offer. The board of directors is hoping for a deal that will protect the historic theater's future, including income the playhouse gets from an adjacent parking lot.

The state owns the land on which the theater and parking lot sit, and a clause in the lease makes the state responsible for major upkeep and repairs. But the State Department wants out of the ownership and disputes the maintenance obligation.

The City of Miami and Florida International University both have expressed interest in taking over the property, but neither is likely to match previous legislative support in today's economy.

Clouding the issue are charges of a lack of accountability in the theater's stewardship of state resources by Rep. Manny Prieguez, R-Miami, which prompted the 2001 Legislature to eliminate the theater's $500,000 budget item. That in turn gave Secretary of State Katherine Harris the leverage for potential eviction, which would get the state off the maintenance hook.

The Grove is offering to strike the maintenance requirement for the future if the state releases $950,000 appropriated to the theater in 2000 but never released by Harris' office. The playhouse board also wants a guarantee that the property will remain designated for the arts, and that the parking lot revenues continue to support the program.